Songs for Family Reunion Slide Show

Updated on May 06, 2014
S.B. asks from Mansfield, TX
9 answers

The question about suggestions for a 5th grade slide show made me think about a slide show I am making for a multi-generational family reunion. Any suggestions for background music for a slide show that will feature over 100 years of photos? There are a lot of slides (and a lot of family) Thanks for your help!

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So What Happened?

Thank you all for so many wonderful suggestions! I will get busy and check out these songs. You have given me some great ideas!

Featured Answers

J.S.

answers from Chicago on

What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Lean on Me - The Temptations
My Life and All You Need is Love - The Beatles
I'll Be There - Jackson 5 or Mariah Carey's cover
You've Got a Friend - James Taylor

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M.C.

answers from Chattanooga on

Alan Jackson's "Remember When"
Leanne Womack's "I Hope You Dance"
"We Are Family" (not sure of the artist, But you gotta have that one! Lol.)
Kenny Rogers' "Through the Years"
Rodney Adkins' "These Are My People"
Beatles' "All You Need Is Love"
Miranda Lambert's "House That Built Me"
Bon Jovie's "Who Says You Can't Go Home"

2 moms found this helpful
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C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

"Good Times Roll"

let the good times roll
let them knock you around
let the good times roll
let them make you a clown

let them leave you up in the air
let them brush your rock and roll hair
let the good times roll
let the good times roll
let the good times roll

let the stories be told
they can say what they want
let the photos be old
let them show what they want

let them leave you up in the air
let them brush your rock and roll hair
let the good times roll
let the good times roll-oll
lets let the good times roll

good times roll

if the illusion is real
let them give you a ride
if they got thunder appeal
let them be on your side

let them leave you up in the air
let them brush your rock and roll hair
lets let the good times roll-oll
let the good times roll
let the good times roll
lets let the good times roll
we'll let the good times roll

oh-hoh-oh

by the Cars.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

General nostalgic mellow music would be nice... thinking Cat Stevens or James Taylor.

T.R.

answers from Milwaukee on

Lots of great ideas below. We've done slideshows for various events, and sometimes it's really fun to "mix it up a bit" by playing some of the pictures with a more upbeat or contemporary song.

A few examples that come to mind:

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) by C&C Music Factory
Happy by Pharell Williams
Celebration by Kool & the Gang

I've Had the Time of My Life - Bill Everly (for wedding photos)

Additionally, since you will be covering a long period of time, & likely many of those people will be @ the reunion, some period pieces would be appropriate:

Frank Sinatra - probably anything, but my faves are Fly Me to the Moon, The Way You Look Tonight & Come Fly With Me

Also, some Big Band Swing. Everyone knows Glenn Miller Band - In the Mood

Find songs that fit the photos, and have fun with it. The pictures will be emotional enough, sometimes sweet music is good, but for as many photos as you will have, it will be great to have nostalgia with music thown in, as well as the more upbeat songs that can often bring smiles & laughter.

Have fun on YouTube looking stuff up! T.

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J.C.

answers from New York on

We did this for my mom's 80th. We decided to use songs from each decade. So swing, frank Sinatra, the Beatles. etc. If your pictures will be in order that the music of the time will blend so nicely.

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S.B.

answers from Houston on

We are Family-Sister Sledge

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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

You can find a lot of music online that will go with each particular generation. But first, contact your relatives, old and young, and ask for suggestions. Some people may have favorite songs. Others may know what songs your (or their) great-great-grandparents liked. (For instance, my parents had a favorite song, which they danced to in the 1930s before they married; it was "Star Dust," by Hoagy Carmichael.)

Speaking in very general categories, the early 1900s might indicate ragtime (check out Scott Joplin) and even some John Philip Sousa. You'll want jazz for the 1920s. From the mid-thirties to the mid-forties, big band music (and yes, Frank Sinatra, who I believe started out as a big band singer, but whose career went into the '50s and '60s). From the mid-fifties, rock and roll. Early 1960s would be the Beatles and rock music. Later than that should be easy.

There are all sorts of other things in between these categories, though! If you wanted to think about show tunes, you could google "Broadway show music" (or something like that) for a certain decade, and see what you can come up with. Do the same thing for film music.

Have fun! I almost wish I were in your family just so I could help work on this.

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